Our Story

In 1955, Bernard Perlman established the first state regulatory agency in the U. S. devoted exclusively to the oversight of charitable activities. Today, these functions are carried out by the Charities Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Bernard’s early dedication to the philanthropic sector became the basis for a law practice which continues to provide forward-thinking, comprehensive legal advice to and representation of the philanthropic community.

Our scope has expanded from traditional nonprofit legal matters to evolving areas of the law such as social enterprise, corporate philanthropy, nonprofit/for-profit hybrids, and nonprofit fundraising via online platforms, social media, gamification and cause marketing. We have recently added a robust litigation practice and provide in-house counsel to nonprofits on matters including employment, intellectual property and technology.

In 1991, Perlman & Perlman launched the first dedicated State Registration and Compliance service. With more than twenty-five years of experience, we provide top of the line service to over five hundred clients, including a broad range of nonprofits, professional fundraisers, fundraising consultants and commercial co-venturers.